Not Much Time Left
by Lionheart 39
Summary: Illness looks like robbing UNIT of one of it family!
1. Chapter 1

The TV in the canteen was on The Brigadier was watching the news about the new crisis in Sierra Leone.

"It's a peace keeping mission," Jo explained to the Doctor, "the UN organise them to stop two sides fighting."

"But they have got guns? How can sending another group of armed humans in stop people fighting."

The Brigadier was looking at the TV as the commanding officer, Colonel Daniel Henderson, was introduced to the reporters. Jo noticed the Brigadier's face which showed disappointment.

Carol Bell then dropped the bombshell. "The Brigadier went to Geneva a month ago to volunteer for that post, I think he was rather disappointed not to get it."

Benton looked astonished, "That is one thankless job, it's got to be one of the nastiest jobs in the world. Why would the Brig want to leave UNIT?"

He didn't get it for two reasons they need him here and there was something wrong with his last medi...

The Doctor snorted, "Common Sense by the military at last!" The Doctor said very loudly. "Send Lethbridge-Stewart and his solution would be to blow everyone up, or shoot them!"

Suddenly the Brigadier's chair went flying across the floor and the Doctor found himself lifted out of his chair by the Brigadier whose face was somewhere near crimson! "What would you know!" snarled the Brigadier. "Fly in and out of peoples lives. Never stay anywhere to clear up the mess. The only reason you stay here is your bloody stuck here, because your own race doesn't even want you!"

The Doctor didn't react because of the shock of seeing the Brigadier lose his cool so completely.

The Doctor found himself flung back into his chair and the Brigadier slammed out of the canteen, with every face turned to watch him go.

Jo swallowed audibly. "That wasn't normal!"

"Ok most people would have knocked your teeth down your throat months ago!" Benton said "but the Brig doesn't lose his cool like that."

The Doctor rubbed his chin, " No he doesn't"

Alistair was sat in his office staring at the wall. The doctor knocked quietly on the door.

The Brigadier didn't respond.

The Doctor rubbed his chin again. Then sat down in the chair opposite him.

"Alistair?"

The Brigadier just looked at him.

"Errr, I'm sorry I said what I did. But I'm still convinced you could have done things different, you didn't need to blow up..."

"What's it matter?" the man asked, "what does anything matter?"

The Doctor was now very concerned.

The Brigadier turned towards the Doctor. "Just get out of my bloody sight for the rest of the day, before I have you and all your bloody junk thrown off the base!"

The Doctor was now more than concerned, no matter what he had done in the past the Brigadier had never threatened to get rid of him.

A knock on the door and Harry Sullivan the base M.O. was stood there.

"Sir, Corporal Bell phoned me!"

"No need Sullivan, I'm fine!"

"I am sorry Sir, but we both know that isn't true! You either let me check you out or I have you declared medically unfit!"

The Doctor gave Sullivan a quizzical look.

"I told you to bugger off!" the Brigadier roared at the Doctor.

Sullivan closed the door and the Doctor stood in the outer office looking questioningly at a tearful Corporal Bell.

" I just have orders from Dr Sullivan that if I'm worried, in any way, about the Brigadier I have to call the Infirmary." She said shaking her head. "That's all I know, but I think it's something to do with his medical for the Sierra Leone job."

He went back to the Lab, Jo looked up concern in her eyes." Have you found out any more."

"Only that the Brigadier is ill in some way and the M.O. is worried about him."

"Oh dear! Do you think it's serious." she asked in a low voice.

The Doctor rubbed his hand across his eyes, "I rather think it is!"

Jo looked at the Doctor, "Well he isn't going to tell you about it. The M.O. won't tell you either. How about we go over to the infirmary I distract the orderly and you use your sonic screwdriver to open the filing cabinet and take a peek at the Brigs file."

The Doctor smiled that's what he liked about Jo she had a direct way to solve problems. Liz would never have suggested doing anything like that.

The orderly rushed up to help when the Doctor carried Jo into the medical centre complaining about a twisted ankle. Jo giving one of her innocent, winning smiles acted as if her ankle was very painful. As the orderly examined Jo's ankle the Doctor slipped into the office. It was a matter of seconds to open the filing cabinet. Just as he lifted the Brigadier's file out Harry Sullivan entered the office, gave a meaningful cough and held his hand out. A very sheepish Jo was looking at the Doctor.

"If you needed to know or the Brigadier wanted you to know he would tell you."

The Doctor tried being imperious, " Dr Sullivan, Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart is one of my oldest and dearest friends, I just want to know what I can do to help him!"

The M.O. looked at the Doctor with distaste, "You have a strange way of showing it! But if you are any sort of friend I would ask you not to upset him. Let the man live out his remaining time with out your comments on his moral character. Everyone else I talk to thinks him a good man and he is a first class commanding officer!"

The Doctor and Jo went back to the Lab. "He said 'live out his remaining time!' that sounds bad." Jo said in rather a choked voice.

The Doctor sat down, looked at Jo and said, "Yes, I heard, Jo!"

"The Brigadier, can't die!" Jo sobbed.

The Doctor blinked, that was one of Jo's silly statements, he was about to correct her when he understood what she meant. She didn't want the Brigadier to die.

The Doctor felt the same. Although they rubbed each other up the wrong way and he hadn't forgiven him for the Wenley Moor incident the Brigadier was his friend and when he thought about it he didn't want him to die either.

"Surely there's something you can do to save him!" Jo said hopefully. "I mean I'm sure there are all sorts of treatments for things you've come across in time and space that we don't know about on Earth."

"I need to know what's wrong with him first Jo, and no one will tell me!"

"Well go and ask him!" Jo insisted.

Corporal Bell, shook her head when the Doctor arrived in her office. "He's not in Doctor, he went home ill I think!"

Mike Yates came into the office. Looked at the Doctor in an unfriendly way.

"Mike what is wrong with Alistair?" the Doctor asked

Mike Yates shook his head, "You mean apart from you giving him grief I don't know . What I do know is he is looking closely at possible replacement C.O.'s for us. He's been shortlisting suitable offices to recommend to Geneva."

Jo looked up at the Doctor hopefully when he returned to the lab. The Doctor shook his head. "He's gone home ill."

"I'm going to call Liz!" Jo announced. At the Doctors puzzled look she explained to him again. "Doctor they love each other! How many times do I have to tell you that! Either she will already know, but I doubt it or she would be here. If not he will tell her what is wrong because he needs a friend at a time like this, and let's face it you two haven't exactly been friends lately."

Alistair was laid on the bed, the persistent headache he had had since confronting the Doctor in the canteen just wouldn't go away. Nor would the shake in his left hand. He thought longingly about the single malt whiskey on the sideboard, then glanced at the row of pill bottles on the bedside table all of which had labels advising not to take with alcohol.

A frantic knocking on the door wasn't a good sign. At least if he was needed back at base they had sent a car.

He opened the door about to ask the driver to wait for him when a familiar figure walked in and stood looking at him her hands on her hips and a steely look, he had missed seeing, in her eyes. "So!" demanded Liz Shaw, "what is wrong with you and why haven't you told me about it!"

She saw him look at her with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, she saw one of his trademark smiles. Except it wasn't quite right, the right side of his mouth quirked up but the left side seemed slightly drawn down. She glanced at his left hand that had a slight shake. Alarm bells were ringing and her heart felt like it was in her throat. She walked forward and traced the left side of his jaw. His head went down. "Tell me!" she whispered.

She was hugging him close tears filling her eyes, wanting be strong for him but all the time her inner self was screaming NO..no..no..!

It's the size of a small lemon Liz, buried deep within the right hemisphere of the brain. They can't remove it and it's too far advanced to hope that any other treatments will work.

Liz looked at the tablets he was taking. They were for the pain and to reduce the side effects.

"Alistair I'll make some calls there are people working on these things I can..".  
He gave her a sad smile, "Geneva have already looked into all that Liz, it was touching really to see how they seemed to value an old soldier like me. But really there is nothing, that can be done. They reckon 3 to 4 months of fairly normal life then..." He lowered his voice, "This is the bit that terrifies me! Blindness, paralysis and losing my mind."

Liz held him tight "I'll be here, with you, every step of the way Alistair!"

"I don't want you to see me like that! " He said staring into her eyes.

"Well, tough luck, because I say I will be with you and you know I always get my way!"

She made him a cup of tea and they sat together watching the light die from the sky. "Have you spoken to the Doctor" Liz asked.

He shook his head, "He's still not talking to me except about my awful militaristic behaviour!"

"I'll talk to him in the morning!" Liz said. At Alistair's quizzical look "when I take you into work and talk to your M.O."

"Liz you have important work to do in Cambridge!"

She kissed him "There is nothing as important as being with you Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart. I've loved you since that first day when you recruited me to UNIT! You infuriating, handsome man! Now take me to bed!"

They arrived at HQ at 7.30 am and Liz left Alistair with Corporal Bell while she went to find the Doctor. As she walked into the lab she saw Jo! She hugged the young woman and then broke down into a flood of tears. The Doctor walked in and looked at Jo wide eyed. Jo gave him an I told you so look.

Seeing the Doctor she blurted out, "He's dying Doctor. He's got an inoperable brain tumour!"

The Doctor's heart sank. Jo gave a moan, then held Liz a bit tighter.

Liz, Jo, and The Doctor were in the infirmary with Harry Sullivan looking at the Brigadier's scans.

"As you can see," Harry told them "it is at a very advanced stage."

Liz was sat with her eyes closed. It was worse than she had expected. She was trying hard to hold back tears.

Jo was looking at the Doctor hopefully. But he looked at her and shook his head. Jo's face fell.

"Dr Sullivan, Alistair has been told he will eventually suffer from Paralysis, blindness and possibly hallucinations. Is there anything we can do to prevent these." Liz asked quietly.

Harry sadly shook his head.

"We can stop the hallucinations " the Doctor said. "I can help prevent those."

Liz nodded and smiled. "Well that will be something!"

She returned to Alistair's office and told him that the hallucinations could be prevented, he seemed to take some comfort from that.

She then kissed him, took the key to his apartment and drove off to Cambridge to collect the belongings she needed and arrange a leave of absence.

The Doctor and Jo cleared part of the Lab for Liz to use when she returned.


	2. Chapter 2

Goonhilly tracking station had rung UNIT HQ with an update of the meteor heading into Earths atmosphere and about to land 20 mile west of their location.

The Brigadier ordered a mobile response team to muster. Luckily Lt. Commander Sullivan the base surgeon was away at a meeting for the day and not due back for at least 3 hours. The Doctor and Jo Grant were collecting equipment for the Doctor's latest attempt at repairing his TARDIS and Liz had gone to Cambridge to arrange for her work to be transferred to the UNIT lab. That meant there was no one who could insist he wasn't fit to go on this expedition. Sitting at his desk doing paperwork for the last 2 weeks was driving him around the bend. Ok,so he wasn't quiet 100% fit but that was no reason for him to be desk bound. He had made sure he was in the lead Land Rover before the team was notified.

Mike Yates looked surprised to see the Brigadier but just shrugged and took position in the second vehicle.

They were heading out of the gate just as the Doctor's car was driving towards the base.

The Brigadier ordered the vehicles not to stop, he saw the Doctors disapproving look as they sped past. His heart dropped as he saw the Doctor execute a 3 point turn and follow them.

Goonhilly's latest estimate for the site of the landing area was in the slate quarry about 4 miles South west of their present location.

They rounded the edge of the embankment leading to the main cavern of the mine as the meteor arced down. The two Land Rovers started down the winding road to the base of the embankment. The Doctor stopped at the edge of the pit. "That's not a meteor it's an escape pod!" He put Bessie in hyper mode and raced after the Land Rovers.

The Land Rovers pulled up close to the escape pod. The doctors car pulled up a few yards behind.

As the UNIT men had disembarked. The Brigadier didn't seem to be able to coordinate his feet properly. He managed to walk over to the escape pod but only steadily. If he tried running he felt sure he would fall over. When he heard the Doctor yell "Alistair hit the floor, that was a simple instruction to follow he'd been feeling like he was about to fall over for the last few minutes. A beam of high energy plasma skimmed over his position and vaporized the Land Rover he had just exited.

Sargent Benton and his section opened fire on the rocky outcrop where the light beam had come from. Mr Yates had got the escape pod open. He was lifting out a young woman who was heavily pregnant. Placing her in the remaining Land Rover.

"Mr Yates, you and your men get the young woman safe, head for the cavern entrance" the Brigadier yelled. "We'll keep them busy here. Doctor, Miss Grant you get in there too."

The Doctor hesitated then looked at Jo and nodded, he drove Bessie towards the cavern that Mike's men had driven in to.

Right Mr Benton let's get over there, smoke grenades yelled the Brigadier, as the smoke got thicker, he ordered covering fire and the men headed for the cavern entrance.

The Brigadier saw the men one by one disappear inside, but knew he had little chance of making it himself. He was pinned down, all the fire power seemed to be directed at himself. He saw John Benton heading his way.

"Follow orders man, get in that cavern and provide covering fire!" He smiled towards the Sargent "John go!" he shouted.

With an agonising look the Sargent sprinted for the cavern.

Suddenly the small yellow roadster was heading towards the Brigadier at incredible speed and skidded to a halt next to the him. The Doctor grabbed the Brigadier's arm and dragged him into the car. Then at high speed taking a weaving route back to safety, with pulses of enemy fire just missing them!

"You're a bloody fool Lethbridge-Stewart!" the Doctor seethed. "Anyone else trying to go on an operation while as unfit as you are and you would have them on a charge."

The Brigadier snorted.

"We'll see what Liz has to say about this. " The Doctor threatened! "You better get some rest and let Mr Yates and Mr Benton sort this out!

"Mr Benton get our reserve regiments contacted and mobilized!" Mike Yates ordered. "We'll need to hold them off for a couple of hours until reinforcements get here." Mike Yates, placed his men in key positions. Luckily the cavern was easily defended.

The Brigadier smiled at his men. He had developed a Regiment to be proud of. Whoever inherited them from him would have nothing to complain about, he thought with pride.

Suddenly there was a sharp cry from the young woman laid on a blanket on the cavern floor just to his left. He heard Jo shout, "Doctor I think there is something terribly wrong! "

The Doctor knelt down spoke to the young woman who was whimpering in pain.

"Can you help her Doctor?" Jo asked.

The Doctor rubbed his hand on his face. "Well child Birth on Gallifrey was always a female concern. To tell the truth I've never had a call to learn the practical side of it."

The Brigadier sat up and pulled himself over to the young woman.

He touched her face and then gently patted her stomach looking deep into the young woman's eyes.

The young woman nodded and the Brigadier felt around the baby.

"Breech" he said with certainty, "we have to turn the baby or we will lose them both."

"Ms Grant I need you to remove the mothers lower clothing and Doctor we need a screen of some sort to give the lady privacy."

The doctor dragged over a piece of metal sheeting and propped it between some boulders to shield the young woman from general view.

"Ms Grant get me the large first aid kit from the back of the land Rover." The Brigadier instructed

"Right Doctor we are going to turn this baby," the Brigadier said "but first I need to check were the cord is, so we turn the baby the right way."

He put the gloves from the first aid kit on and looked at the young woman and got her nod of understanding. He gently located the umbilical cord then explained to the Doctor the they would turn the baby clockwise.

Jo watched in awe as the Brigadier applied gentle but firm pressure to the mothers stomach. He instructed the Doctor where to place his hands to assist. It took nearly an hour but with a sigh the Brigadier nodded in satisfaction, the baby had turned. Within 10 mins the cavern rang out to the cry of a new born.

"What flavour is it Sir?" One of the men shouted. "A girl," Jo shouted, "a beautiful little girl."

A cheer went up from the men.

The Brigadier removed his jumper and wrapped the baby in it.

As he placed the baby in her mothers arms the young woman looked at the Brigadier's insignia on his shoulder. "You are the Gentle Warrior of the prophecy." She said and touched his face.

The Brigadier tended to the mother to ensure that the end of the birthing process went smoothly.

Jo looked at the Brigadier in awe, "Wow, how did you know what to do?" she asked.

"Yes, that was pretty impressive Lethbridge-Stewart." the Doctor remarked.

"Well Doctor there is more to being a soldier then guns and explosives!" the Brigadier said smiling.

The Doctor, looked shamefaced at the man.

"I was a young Captain during the 1960 troubles in Sierra Leone, one day we found a hospital for women. There were no Doctors or Midwives, the whole of the medical staff had been slaughtered. Many of the expectant mothers were no more than teenagers. There was one young woman who was working to deliver the babies." He smiled at the memory. "She needed help, so I learnt from her! We did our best but still there were many we could not save, the girls too young and too sick!"

The Doctor and Jo saw the pain in the Brigadier's eyes at the memory of those deaths.

He laughed, then said "There is, in one small area of Sierra Leone, around 40 children called Alistair, unfortunately 17 of them are girls."

The Doctor smiled at his friend, so that had been the reason he wanted to go back with the peace keepers.

As the mother was falling asleep she indicated that the Brigadier should hold the baby. Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart, lay back against the cavern wall. Quietly singing a Nursery Rhyme to the baby who was wide awake but quiet in his arms.

Suddenly the cavern was full of a white light.

All firing stopped and the men seem to be frozen. Only the area around the mother did time seemed to be acting properly. "We are in a Time Bubble" the Doctor said.

A group of people in a shimmering green haze were clustered around the mother, the young woman approached the Brigadier who kissed the child's forehead then handed her back.

"This is the child who was foretold, born today with the help of the Gentle Warrior, as prophecy predicted" the leader of the group told everyone, "She will ensure peace for three millennium across the Galaxy of the two Suns."

Suddenly the light failed and the Mother, Baby and group of followers were gone.

As time came back for everyone, Mr Yates called out that firing had stopped and the enemy had gone.

Jo blinked, "Was that for real Doctor?" she asked.

Alistair was exhausted, he found that he was having trouble even walking. John Benton and the Doctor looked at each other extremely worried. They helped him into the Doctor's car and laid him on the back seat. John Benton sat in the rear foot well to ensure he was safe. The Doctor drove back to HQ as fast as possible

When they returned to Base Liz was waiting for their return. She had been annoyed that Alistair had gone out on a mission. She was ready to give him her opinion on his recklessness. The sight of the Doctor and Sargent Benton carrying Alistair to the sick bay made her forget her anger. Harry Sullivan quickly checked the Brigadier over and assured her that the deterioration was probably just tiredness related


	3. Chapter 3

After a days rest in the infirmary Alistair was put on sick leave. Major Wallace was put in temporary charge of the base and given instructions by the Brigadier to work closely with Yates, Benton and the Doctor.

Liz and Alistair took a holiday to Scotland, they returned a fortnight later. Jo was the first to spot the rings on Liz's finger. Liz, was taken aback, but the Brigadier just smiled indulgently to see Jo jumping up and down in excitement.

Jo ran down the corridor telling everyone she met, Mike Yates, John Benton and the Doctor all came to offer congratulations. Jo wanted to arrange a party. The Doctor noticed Alistair clutching Liz's arm and Liz supporting her husband with an arm around his waist. He pulled out a stool for the Brigadier to rest on. I think maybe Jo, should arrange just a small get together in the lab. Jo was about to protest when she saw the Doctor look meaningfully at the Brigadier. Suddenly she remembered and her excitement faulted.

They had been married about ten weeks, Alistair was at the base most days but for only short periods of time. Liz wasn't bothering with her research, that could wait, she was more concerned about making memories, because all too soon she knew memories would be all she would have. Liz wished she had not left it so long to return, if she had come back a year ago or even six months, then they could have been together for so much longer.

Liz was in bed when she heard a clatter from the kitchen, "Alistair, darling?" No answer she got out of bed to find him on the floor.

"Can't get up'" he told her, his voice was slurred.

Liz phoned the base, within ten minutes she heard the familiar roar of the Doctors car, Bessie. The Doctor found Liz and Alistair sat together on the kitchen floor with their backs against the fridge. Alistair's head was resting on Liz's shoulder her cheek against his hair and their arms about each other. Liz's eyes were full of tears.

"Harry, is coming in the ambulance, they will be here in a few minutes." he told them. "Is there anything I can do?"

"There's a bag in the hall cupboard, Doctor, could you get it please. It's has what we will need in it. If you could put Alistair's pills from the bedside table in to it, that would be a great help." Liz said giving him a strained smile. The Doctor nodded and collecting the case waited for the ambulance to arrive. Glancing back he saw the couple spending what would be their last few minutes together in their own home.

Alistair was in a side room, it had a private bathroom and at Liz's insistence an extra bed was put in.

"Harry, we are going to spend our last days together." She had told the MO

Harry and the Doctor had been reading up on how to help make Alistair's remaining time as comfortable as possible.

Liz had insisted that they sleep together, although Harry would normally object, Alistair was still the C.O. and it wasn't going to make any difference to his patients outcome. In fact it was beneficial to his well being. Harry mused having someone like Liz cuddled up to you had to be beneficial to anyone's well being.

Alistair had woken up one afternoon after a short post lunch siesta and found he could no longer see, Liz had been at his side in a instance reassuring him and keeping him calm.

The Doctor gave him a shot of a new type of steroid which he had read about. It was supposed to give good results in alleviating symptoms like blindness, well for a short period anyway, in cases of brain tumours.

As his eyesight returned Alistair smiled at his wife, "Oh Liz, I never thought I'd see you again! However did I get so lucky to have such a beautiful wife?"

Liz brushed her fingers against his cheek and lent in for a kiss.

He smiled his lopsided grin at his wife, it broke Liz's heart to see. She would give anything to see both sides of his mouth raise up to that wonderfully cheeky grin that had made her fall in love with him.

"I think Alistair, it's because you are a very good man!" the Doctor said.

A couple of days later Alistair had a request, "Liz, I want to see my daughter, Kate! Corporal Bell has Fiona's number".

Liz, glanced at the Doctor, she knew that Fiona had made Alistair's access to Kate near impossible since they had married, even after being told Alistair was ill.

Liz kissed her husband and walked down to the office to speak to Corporal Bell. The Doctor stayed with Alistair.

"So how are you doing, really" the Doctor asked.

"Not good, those injections of yours relive the blindness, but they have some very nasty side effects. I feel nauseous all the time when I've had them. Once I've seen Kate, I'd like you to stop giving them to me. I know Liz is going to take some convincing, but a few less days with some quality would be better I think"

The Doctor nodded. "Liz just wants you to be around as long as possible."

He smiled, " It's a pity I can't regenerate like you Doctor."

"Alistair if I could give you one of my lives I would, unfortunately..."

His friend held his hand, "It's the thought that counts Doctor."

The Doctor saw Liz stood at the door with Jo. Liz was beckoning him over. "The bloody woman won't listen to me. She keeps putting the phone down. Will you drive over with me and try and reason with her." Liz asked. "If we go in Bessie we can be there and back in no time."

Liz looked at Jo, "Would you sit with Alistair, just tell him what's been happening on base, he'll be keen to catch up."

The Doctor said. "Tell him the story about Benton and those rabbits and the one about Mike and the muck spreader. Just don't make him laugh too much. We won't be long."

It was good to hear the Brigadier chuckle at the story of Mike's encounter with Mr Ross's muck spreader. After about 30 minutes he had asked for the lights turned down as he started to fall asleep. As Jo went to switch off the overhead lights just leaving the reading light on a young woman entered the room. She gave Jo the most beautiful smile then sat on the Brigadier's bed and bent to kiss his brow.

The Brigadier opened his eyes and smiled at the young woman.

Jo left them together, she was glad Liz and the Doctor had been able to get Kate.

Jo was sat in the waiting area as Liz and the Doctor entered.

"That bloody woman!" Liz snarled. "If I had my way I would have torn her eyes out!"

"Yes, I know my dear, but it won't help. I know her Uncle I will ring him and see if he can get her to see sense."

"That poor kid, desperate to see... Jo, what are you doing here, you haven't left Alistair alone have you? What if there's a problem." Liz shot the young woman a disappointed look, as she headed down the corridor.

"No, of course not, Kate's, with him. I thought they should be alone together." Jo said chasing after them!"

Both Liz and the Doctor spun around to face Jo, "Kate?" Liz asked."

Jo looked surprised at their disbelieving looks.

"Young woman, about 16 black hair!" Jo said.

Liz and the Doctor exchanged looks. "Kate's 9 and has blond hair." the Doctor told her.

All three were running towards Alistair's room.

A blinding white light filled the room, all around in a green glow stood a crowd of people watching. The young woman sat on the bed had her hands clasped either side of Alistair's head. A strange red glow seemed to pulse above his face. Alistair's back was arched off the bed as if in pain.

Liz ran forward to the door but the white light was a barrier she couldn't enter!

"What are you doing!" she screamed, desperately trying to get into the room.

No one in the room was taking any notice!

The Doctor stood with his arms around Liz holding her, to stop her from dashing herself on the force field.

Suddenly the young woman holding Alistair's head was thrown back as if hit by a stone, the red light above Alistair's face exploded into a shower of red sparks. Then the room was back as it should be.

Alistair was laid on the bed in what seemed a deep sleep. The room was lit only by a reading lamp. The three people who had witnessed the scene were still suffering the effects of seeing the bright light.

Liz ran to Alistair's side. Her hands shaking, she checked him for signs of injury. As she touched his head his eyes opened, "I've just had the strangest dream." he said, his voice mellow and warm as it always used to be, no slurred words. He smiled at her with his mouth curling up on both sides.

Liz got Alistair to hold his arms out checking for tremors, but there were none. She also watched as his pupils reacted normally to light for the first time in weeks. All the time Liz herself was crying, this time tears of joy not despair.

The Doctor picked up a scroll off the bedside cabinet and unrolled it there was an emblem and large title script. He slipped it up his sleeve.

The Doctor was stood with Liz as Sullivan was checking the Brigadier out.

"Who was that girl?" Liz asked.

"I told you about the baby Alistair helped deliver?"

Liz nodded.

"That was her!" he said.

"Bu..., how do you know?"

The Doctor took out and undid the scroll. He gave it to Liz.  
Liz saw the emblem, it was a Brigadier's insignia.  
She read the text.  
**Prophecies of the Blessed Alistaine!  
The Miracle of the Gentle Warrior!**

Liz read the scroll and then hugged the Doctor.

Sullivan left Alistair's room, "Well I'd like him to have a scan down in London to be sure but I can't find any sign of a tumour. It's a .."

"Miracle!" Liz said running back into the room and hugging Alistair.

The next day the base was in a party mood, Mike and Jo had arranged a surprise party in the canteen for the Married couple. It seemed the Whole base was there. Shifts had been altered so no one got to miss the event.

Part way through Liz noticed Alistair wasn't to be seen. She tracked him to his office.

"Alistair, love, are you alright? You have been very thoughtful today."

She sat on his knee placing her left hand on his chest.

He took her left hand and kissed it then holding it in both his started to slowly revolve her wedding ring around her finger. He took in a deep breath.

"I feel I rather tricked you in to marrying me," he said "you signed up for a very short tour of duty and now you are stuck with a long haul!"

Liz looked shocked "Alistair I married you, not because I felt sorry for you ,but because I love you! I always did!" she said with tears in her eyes. "You have got to know that! I only left before because I couldn't face the fact that your job would probably take you away from me. I couldn't face losing you. Then when you were ill and I had to face up to it, I knew anytime together was better then none at all."

She saw he was crying too.

"Do you want me to leave UNIT?" he asked.

"Do you want to?" Liz whispered.

He shook his head, "But I feel I should, to make it up to you!"

"Alistair there is nothing to make up." She kissed him, "Your job gave you back to me when I thought I had all but lost you. Every day from now on is a bonus! Just remember you have more reasons to come home safe now so be extra careful!"

Jo dashed in to the office! "Come on you two or you'll miss the Doctor's speech!"

"Oh dear must we!" Liz muttered


End file.
